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<title>Don’t go into the light! (It’s just a flashlight, chill) by TheNapkinsAtStarbucks</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23422471">Don’t go into the light! (It’s just a flashlight, chill)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNapkinsAtStarbucks/pseuds/TheNapkinsAtStarbucks'>TheNapkinsAtStarbucks</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bang Chan-centric, Dark, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Escape, Gore, Heavy Angst, Horror, Hostage Situations, I Tried, Kidnapping, Like damn I kinda terrified myself???, Not Beta Read, Psychological Horror, Rescue, Survival Horror, Triggers, We Die Like Men, but vaguely mentioned, definitely dark, sorry - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:42:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,217</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23422471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNapkinsAtStarbucks/pseuds/TheNapkinsAtStarbucks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chan did not know how he got there, or where there was, he just knew he had to escape.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan &amp; Lee Felix</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don’t go into the light! (It’s just a flashlight, chill)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chan was gasping for breath. The cold air bit at his throat and clawed down his esophagus. He couldn’t stop running though. If he did, they would catch him. They would catch him and do horrendous things to him. </p><p>He could hear the boy he had escaped with gasping for breath as well. It was wheezy and choked and Chan was surprised the boy hadn’t collapsed already. </p><p>Chan took the moment to look behind him. The   feral screams of his captors sounded through the woods, whoops and hollers echoing through the desolate forest. It sent shivers down his back, goosebumps running along his skin and making his hair stand on end. They sounded so close. </p><p>Chan wanted to cry, maybe he was with how blurry his eyesight was. He stumbled, frozen hands desperately trying to push off the ground again. He could feel the boy from earlier grab harshly onto his thin shirt and drag him up again. Cold fingers touched his back as his shirt ripped under the force of the stranger’s hand. </p><p>Suddenly he was being propelled forward, the boy dragging him up along side him. They ran together, fumbling in the dark forest, numb, naked feet getting caught on stray tree limbs and sharp rocks that were covered by the undergrowth. </p><p>Chan was sure he was going to die from overexertion at this point. They had been running for god knows how long and there was no sign of help. The freezing weather did not go to help either of them either. Thin clothes, having been ripped and torn from their escape gave little protection from the cold. </p><p>A stray tree limb slapped him across the face, tearing a long horizontal line across his cheek. He felt a slight sting, but certainly nothing compared to his feet. Chan was sure they would fall off from hyperthermia. If he looked down they would be black and blue and hanging by the ligament. The thought alone made him want to puke. </p><p>A sudden cry of relief was heard to his left. Chan whipped his head to the boy. The stranger was staring up ahead, a slight wonder in his eye. Chan followed his gaze and found a faint light, illuminating through fog and a thousand spindly branches. Is-is that a flashlight? </p><p>Hope erupted in his chest, making it constrict in a way he had never felt. His heart beat seemed more prominent and the blood rolling down his cheek felt warmer. </p><p>Suddenly, the boy from his side started screaming, a deep, hollow thing. The flashlights jerked to where they were and unfamiliar voices met their ears. </p><p>The stranger kept screaming as he barreled through the forest and Chan joined him too, screaming until his lungs were on the point of exploding. They ran faster, bare feet beating against the rough thicket. The flashlights started swaying back and forth, back and forth, closer and closer. </p><p>Chan wasn’t even caring where he was stepping now. As long as he got to those people, it wouldn’t matter. He would be safe, and taken care of, and-</p><p>The stranger fell to the ground, a cry wrecking his already shredded voice. They crashed to the floor, shoulder slamming into a rock that was covered in moss. A strangled sob broke from their mouth, spit spraying. They grappled with the ground, desperately trying to haul themself up again. They dragged their good arm across the thicket, trying to support their weight on just that. </p><p>Chan stumbled to a stop. He could leave them. He could leave them and be safe. </p><p>The boy broke down in another fit of sobs and looked up, hand outreached for Chan to take it. </p><p>“Help!” The boy screamed at him, looking back into the forest where a cheer of howls came up. “Help me!” He cried, shaking his good arm vigorously. </p><p>Chan was beginning to step away. He could get to that group and then come back with help. Yeah, he would come back for him. </p><p>He could hear the faint pleas of the boy as he began to run away. He was going to come back with help, he would come back for him, it would be fine.</p><p> The more he thought about it, the more he knew that it wasn’t going to work. The group of flashlights was too far away and their captors were so close. The boy would be gone before Chan even got back. </p><p>Before Chan even thought about it, he found himself running back for the boy, the stranger still hopelessly trying to drag himself further. </p><p>Chan slid beside him and the boy looked up with wide, glassy eyes. Chan scooped him up in his arms, the stranger being surprisingly light, and ran. </p><p>His legs pumped faster than ever with the pronounced shrieking of their captors practically breathing down their necks. His muscles burned and ached for relief, yet Chan knew he couldn’t give up yet. Their goal was only 100 yards away. 100 yards and all of this would be over. </p><p>He could feel the boy in his arms shake. Whether it was from the cold, being chased, or because he was crying, Chan didn’t know. Probably all three. </p><p>“Scream.” Chan managed to breathe between gasping intakes. The boy seemed to have heard though because he called out in that deep, desperate voice of his. His words weren’t coherent at this point, only a blob of anguished cries. His voice reverberated through the trees, giving a ghastly echo to the forest. </p><p>The flashlights were so bright now. Chan could almost discern the people. The stranger was still screaming, voice grating against their ruined throat. </p><p>Finally, they came into the light. Relief exploded in Chan’s chest. It pumped through his veins and tears streamed down his cheeks because he was safe. </p><p>Chan was safe and his partner was safe and they- they were safe. Both of them had escaped. Tears slipped down his neck and his gasps for breath came in hiccups. </p><p>He collapsed to the ground, muscles too strained to actually function. He laid on his side, twigs and leaves tangling themselves in his hair. The stranger shivered in Chan’s embrace and clung to his chest, cold fingers sending spikes of frigidness running up and down Chan’s body. He didn’t care though, only hugging the smaller boy closer to him. </p><p>They were safe, they were safe, they had escaped and they were going to be alright. With that thought in mind, Chan clutched to his partner and sobbed in relief. They were safe, they were safe, they were safe-</p><p>In their distraction, they had yet to notice the notorious calls of their captors crawling ever nearer. </p><p> </p><p>——-</p><p>ALTERNATIVE ENDING BECAUSE I AINT ALWAYS ABOUT THAT SAD LIFE </p><p>God they were safe. They were safe from those horrible fucking people. </p><p>Chan sobbed in gasps, clutching his partner ever closer as he cried. </p><p>The people with the flashlights crowded around them, asking them questions but their only response was ragged breathing. </p><p>They couldn’t quite comprehend they had escaped. They had been there, god, they’d been there for days. No food, no water, and the horrid stench of death permeating the grounds. It was a miracle, as Felix would later put it. </p><p>And Chan would have to agree. Yes, it certainly was a miracle.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>YAWWWWW. Wazzz poppin!!! Okay I know I went dark(like I usually do) and I’m sorry about that. But! I do hope you enjoyed it nevertheless. </p><p>And if you feel so obliged I would loveeee some comments!! Feel free to comment anything! Memes? What’s going on with your life? Your struggles? Criticism of America’s healthcare system? Hell yea! (I would also like some comments on my writing bc I basically live off them heehee). Oh and criticism!! That’s like my shit. Give me all the criticism gobble gobble  </p><p>Umm anyway, have a great day/night and thank you for reading!! &lt;333</p></blockquote></div></div>
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